Cultural Exchange Alive & Threatened

The National Performing Arts Convention (NPAC) just closed in Denver and I returned home awed by the number of live performers and performance groups that have plans for overseas tours and performances. This, in spite of all the concern I heard about the difficulties getting visa and the horror stories from previous trips. NPAC brought together choruses, orchestras, opera, theater and dance companies for the second time in 5 years. They discussed all aspects of arts in America.

I was there promoting carnets for Corporation for International Business and had the chance to ask just about everyone I spoke to whether they toured or did business overseas. I estimate that 3 out of 4 people said "yes we plan to tour to -fill in the blank- in 2009 or 10 or 11." The other quarter said "no" but asked if we could help them with visas for importing overseas performers they want to bring to the US.

The common message in all the conversation was that national and international security initiatives were putting up additional barriers to international cultural exchange. Visas to come the the US have made accurately scheduling performances almost impossible because of the uncertainty of getting the visa in time to meet the marketing and promotion deadlines. Visas have become more expensive, harder to get and a highly sought after commodity.

International tours, for US troupes travelling with tools-of-the trade i.e. instruments, props, sets, costumes or equipment, are threatened by the pending 10+2 US security initiative. This will require harmonized tariff numbers on carnets for these tools-of-the trade and thus create unnecessary barriers to cultural exhange unless carnets are allowed the requested waiver. Said waiver was requested by the League of American Orchestras and the United States Council for International Business and is still in play.

Of course the weakened dollar also can make international touring out of reach for cash-strapped non-profit perfomance groups. But there's not much we can do about the US economic situation on a macro level.